Suncroft's recent sucess in the LAdies Junior B football championship was remarcable for many reasons. Chife among them was the fact that last year the club were only able to field 11 players. It was no coincidence that they lost every game in 2014.
This year they not only triumphed in the championship, beating Athy 3:09 to 2:08 in the final the weekend before last, they also won the Division 4 League title.
Since the early strages of the league this year the side have been under new management. They are Noel Poole (manager), Owen Fagan (coach) and Sandra Johnson who has been involved for the past two years (liaison officer).
This week the Leader caught up with manager Poole ans asked him what the turnaround was down to. He stressed that the players have been the driving force and outlined how they have improved. "It was pulling them together and making them beleive in themselves," he said. "People like Paddy Maher cam in and spoke about mindfulness. We did boxercise. They were getting so fit and they didn't even realise it."
That fitness paid off in the final against Athy. "We have a never say die attitude," said Poole. "It always goes to the wire between us and Athy. The last 10 minutes is fitness and heart. Losing was just not an option for us."
Now, the players and management ate targeting more progress in 2016 where they will compete at Junior A and Division 3 levels. "We're all signed up for next year, one hundred percent," said Poole. "This is only the begining."
Suncroft Panel: Becky McGuirk, Sarah Browne, Chloe Reid, Muireann Fagan, Paula Browne, Anna O'Modhrain, Becca Johnson, Abbie Poole, Sophie Hobbs, Carla Ennis, Nichole Dooley, Trina Duggan, Stephanie Hayes, Ellen Dowling, Jenna Brannock, Becky Banim, Martina Howe Hall, Michaela Kinsella, Eve Kehoe, Ciara Fennelly, Eva Houlihan, Risa Ennis and Emma Jane Vaughan.
(Article from Leinster Leader 13 October 2015)